| Citation: |
Zhi-min Jin, Ji-rong Xie, Zheng-lin Cao, Yu-chao Qiu, Chao Zheng, Liang-biao Lin, Yu Yu, 2025. Tight sandstone diageneses, evolution, and controls on high-graded reservoirs in slope zones of foreland basins: A case study of the fourth Member of Xujiahe Formation, Tianfu gas field, Sichuan Basin, China Geology, 8, 325-337. doi: 10.31035/cg20230072
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Tight sandstone diageneses, evolution, and controls on high-graded reservoirs in slope zones of foreland basins: A case study of the fourth Member of Xujiahe Formation, Tianfu gas field, Sichuan Basin
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Abstract
The Triassic Xujiahe Formation in the slope zone of the Sichuan foreland basin is a new field of continental tight gas exploration in recent years. The fourth member of the Xujiahe Formation (Xu4 Member), the major interval in the Jianyang Block of the Tianfu gas field in the basin, is characterized by considerable buried depth, tight reservoirs, and strong heterogeneity. By using cast thin section, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluid inclusion thermometry, and core analysis, the reservoir rock types, dominant diageneses, diagenetic history, and controls on high-graded reservoirs were investigated. It is found that the Xu4 Member in Jianyang mainly consists of lithic feldspar sandstones and feldspar lithic sandstones, followed by lithic quartz sandstones. High-energy hydrodynamic conditions in the microfacies of underwater distributary channels and mouth bars are beneficial to the preservation of primary pores and the occurrence of secondary pores, and there are no significant differences in petrophysical properties between these two microfacies. Compaction and calcareous cementation are the dominant controls on reservoir porosity decrease in the Xujiahe Formation; corrosion is the major contributor to porosity increase by generating secondary dissolved pores, e.g. intragranular dissolved pores and intergranular dissolved pores, as major reservoir space in the study area. Fracture zones around the faults inside the Xujiahe Formation (fourth‒order faults) are favorable for proximal tight gas accumulation, preservation, and production. The research findings have been successfully applied to explore the Xujiahe Formation in the slope zone of the Sichuan foreland basin. They can be referential for other similar tight sandstone gas accumulations.
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References
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Zhi-min Jin, Ji-rong Xie, Zheng-lin Cao, Yu-chao Qiu, Chao Zheng, Liang-biao Lin, Yu Yu, 2025. Tight sandstone diageneses, evolution, and controls on high-graded reservoirs in slope zones of foreland basins: A case study of the fourth Member of Xujiahe Formation, Tianfu gas field, Sichuan Basin, China Geology, 8, 325-337. doi: 10.31035/cg20230072
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Figure 1.
Geological setting of Jianyang Block, Tianfu gas field.
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Figure 2.
a‒Classification triangle of Xu4 sandstone in the Jianyang Block; b‒cement content histogram; c–d‒light grey medium-grained and fine- to medium-grained blocky sandstones; e‒feldspar lithic sandstones, Well YQ102, Xu4 Member, 3181.87 m, cross-polarized light; f‒feldspar lithic sandstones, Well YQ101, Xu4 Member, 2744.6 m, cross-polarized light.
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Figure 3.
Reservoir properties in the Xu4 Member, Jianyang Block.
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Figure 4.
Diagenetic features in the Xu4 Member, Jianyang Block.
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Figure 5.
Petrographic features of fluid inclusions in the Xu4 Member in the study area.
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Figure 6.
Homogenization temperature histogram of Xu4 siliceous inclusions in Jianyang Block.
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Figure 7.
Schematic diagenetic evolutionary sequence, accumulation history, and porosity evolution in the Xu4 Member, Jianyang Block.
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Figure 8.
Correlations between diageneses and physical properties in the Xu4 Member, Jianyang Block.
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Figure 9.
Macroscopic and microscopic features of fractures in Jianyang Block. a‒electric imaging of the Xu4 Member at Well YQ104, developed dark net-shaped semi-filled fractures, 3143‒4151 m; b‒cores with fractures from Well YQ104, 3143.51‒3144.75 m (cores repositioned by +2 m); c‒medium- to fine-grained feldspar lithic sandstones, with intergranular dissolved pores, intragranular dissolved pores, and map dissolved fractures, φ=6.04%, 3135.4 m, YQ104; d‒Medium- to fine-grained feldspar lithic sandstones with microcracks, φ=5.68%, 3145.5 m, YQ104.
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Figure 10.
Deliverability, average porosity, and reservoir thickness histogram for Jianyang Block.
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Figure 11.
Coherence map of multi-order faults in Jianyang Block.